Prince Louis' official royal christening photos are here! See them all

Prince Louis' christening portraits are here!

Author:
Maria Puente, USA TODAY

Published:
2:38 PM EDT July 13, 2018

Updated:
3:24 PM EDT July 16, 2018

Prince William and Duchess Kate of Cambridge released the official photograph of the christening of their third child, baby Prince Louis, on Sunday amidst a chorus of cooing from royal fans.

HANDOUT PHOTO
THE CHRISTENING OF PRINCE LOUIS
THE OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHS
The Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Louis.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have released four official photographs to mark the christening of Prince Louis on Monday 9th July.
The photographs were taken by Matt Holyoak in the Morning Room and the garden at Clarence House, following Prince Louis's baptism in The Chapel Royal, St. JamesÕs Palace.
Mandatory credit: Matt Holyoak/Camera Press

Matt Holyoak, Camera Press

All babies are cute, the saying goes, but royal babies are especially adorable, even in the context of official, for-the-history-books photographs.

Noted portrait photographer Matt Holyoak clicked the shutter on the four portraits, which show the baby, born April 23, in the royal lace christening gown (a replica of the 1841 original worn by Queen Victoria's eldest daughter) and surrounded by both his families, Windsor and Middleton.

The photos were taken July 9 in the Morning Room and garden of Clarence House.

HANDOUT PHOTO
THE CHRISTENING OF PRINCE LOUIS
THE OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHS
Seated (left to right): Prince George, The Duke of Cambridge, Prince Louis, The Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte.
Standing (left to right): The Duke of Sussex, The Duchess of Sussex, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Prince of Wales, Mrs. Carole Middleton, Mr. Michael Middleton, Mrs. Pippa Matthews, Mr. James Matthews, Mr. James Middleton.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have released four official photographs to mark the christening of Prince Louis on Monday 9th July.
The photographs were taken by Matt Holyoak in the Morning Room and the garden at Clarence House, following Prince Louis's baptism in The Chapel Royal, St. JamesÕs Palace.
Mandatory credit: Matt Holyoak/Camera Press

HANDOUT PHOTO
THE CHRISTENING OF PRINCE LOUIS
THE OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHS
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have released four official photographs to mark the christening of Prince Louis on Monday 9th July.
The photographs were taken by Matt Holyoak in the Morning Room and the garden at Clarence House, following Prince Louis's baptism in The Chapel Royal, St. JamesÕs Palace.
Mandatory credit: Matt Holyoak/Camera Press

Matt Holyoak, Camera Press

Pictured are the baby's parents and his siblings, Prince George, 4, and Princess Charlotte, 3, and both sets of grandparents, Prince Charles and his wife, Duchess Camilla of Cornwall, and Carole and Michael Middleton.

Also there: His uncle Prince Harry and his wife, Duchess Meghan of Sussex, his aunt Pippa Middleton Matthews and her husband, James Matthews, and his uncle James Middleton.

Missing: His great-grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. The prince, 97, has retired from public life and the queen was traveling after a busy week in Scotland.

HANDOUT PHOTO
THE CHRISTENING OF PRINCE LOUIS
THE OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHS
Seated (left to right): The Duke of Cambridge, Prince George, Prince Louis, The Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte.
Standing (left to right): The Duchess of Cornwall, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Sussex, The Duchess of Sussex.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have released four official photographs to mark the christening of Prince Louis on Monday 9th July.
The photographs were taken by Matt Holyoak in the Morning Room and the garden at Clarence House, following Prince Louis's baptism in The Chapel Royal, St. JamesÕs Palace.
Mandatory credit: Matt Holyoak/Camera Press

Matt Holyoak, Camera Press

Nicholas van Cutsem, one of William and Harry's oldest friends; Guy Pelly, another longtime chum who married an American in Memphis in a 2014 wedding attended by William and Harry; Harry Aubrey-Fletcher, another old friend of William's; Lady Laura Meade, the daughter of an earl who married one of William's closest friends from Eton, James Meade, who is a godparent to Princess Charlotte; Hannah Carter, an old school friend of Kate's and sister-in-law to one of Princess Charlotte's godparents; and Lucy Middleton, Kate's cousin, whose brother, Adam Middleton, is a godparent to Princess Charlotte.

The gown worn by Louis in the photos is a near-exact replica of the garment that was first worn by Princess Victoria. Inspired by the design of Queen Victoria's wedding dress and believed to have been made of the same silk and lace, the garment was worn by 62 royal babies at their christenings over the next 163 years, including Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry.

After the christening of Lady Louise Windsor in 2004, the original gown was deemed too fragile, and in 2008, Queen Elizabeth II's dresser, Angela Kelly, and Buckingham Palace's team of dressmakers created a new garment for future royal christenings.

The first baby to wear the new gown was James, Lady Louise's younger brother, in 2008. Since then, it's been worn by Louis' siblings, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, as well as other royal offspring.

Duchess Kate smiles as she holds Prince Louis in a photo taken following his christening.

Matt Porteous/AP

Early Monday morning, Kensington Palace released an additional photo snapped after Louis' christening. In the image taken by photographer Matt Porteous, the young prince's face is illuminated by a smile, mirroring his mother's.

Royal baby pictures: Watch Prince Louis grow

Another Cambridge cutie to coo over! Prince Louis of Cambridge, third child of Prince William and Duchess Kate, arrived April 23, 2018, at the same London hospital where his father and older brother and sister, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, were born, at St. Mary's Hospital in Paddington. Prince Louis Arthur Charles (names of some of his ancestors, including grandfather Prince Charles) is fifth in line to the British throne.

Duchess Kate of Cambridge, a keen photographer who has snapped all of her children shortly after their births, took this picture of Princess Charlotte kissing Prince Louis at Kensington Palace on April 27, 2018, four days after his birth. The picture was released on May 5 to to mark the baby's arrival and also Charlotte's 3rd birthday, on May 2.

Prince Louis of Cambridge is wide awake for his closeup, and not crying. So far, the few pictures of him show he's not been fussy when the camera is on him. Mum Duchess Kate took this snap of him at Kensington Palace on April 26, 2018, three days after his birth.

Duchess Kate of Cambridge holds her newborn baby son as she and Prince William leave St Mary's Hospital in London the day of his birth on April 23, 2018.

Like his brother and sister before him, Prince Louis left St. Mary's Hospital in London after his April 23, 2018, birth in a lacy cream-colored shawl.

Prince William and Duchess Kate of Cambridge look happy as they left St. Mary's Hospital in London holding their newborn baby son, Prince Louis, about six hours after he was born on April 23, 2018.

01/06

Another Cambridge cutie to coo over! Prince Louis of Cambridge, third child of Prince William and Duchess Kate, arrived April 23, 2018, at the same London hospital where his father and older brother and sister, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, were born, at St. Mary's Hospital in Paddington. Prince Louis Arthur Charles (names of some of his ancestors, including grandfather Prince Charles) is fifth in line to the British throne.

02/06

Duchess Kate of Cambridge, a keen photographer who has snapped all of her children shortly after their births, took this picture of Princess Charlotte kissing Prince Louis at Kensington Palace on April 27, 2018, four days after his birth. The picture was released on May 5 to to mark the baby's arrival and also Charlotte's 3rd birthday, on May 2.

03/06

Prince Louis of Cambridge is wide awake for his closeup, and not crying. So far, the few pictures of him show he's not been fussy when the camera is on him. Mum Duchess Kate took this snap of him at Kensington Palace on April 26, 2018, three days after his birth.

04/06

Duchess Kate of Cambridge holds her newborn baby son as she and Prince William leave St Mary's Hospital in London the day of his birth on April 23, 2018.

05/06

Like his brother and sister before him, Prince Louis left St. Mary's Hospital in London after his April 23, 2018, birth in a lacy cream-colored shawl.

06/06

Prince William and Duchess Kate of Cambridge look happy as they left St. Mary's Hospital in London holding their newborn baby son, Prince Louis, about six hours after he was born on April 23, 2018.